Friday, January 15, 2010

Watching the Closed Doors

A large number of people are watching the closed doors in Congress as Senators and Representatives trade special deals for votes behind the closed doors.

Some people are livid with the rumors they hear from behind the closed doors.

The progressive faithful hold out that this initial round of legislation is just to get the Federal Governments nose in the health care tent. After the first bad bill is passed, shiny new wonderful bills will arise in open sessions in the future.

Guess what?

The current legislative process is the most open that Federal control over health care will ever be.

What is happening behind the carefully watched closed doors of Congress is nothing compared to what will happen with your healthcare dollars when the public tires of watching the closed doors.

How do I know this?

I know this because health care is currently regulated by the 50 States. The state level regulatory process is routinely under-reported and misunderstood when it is reported. The process is routinely dominated by the big players in the state's health industry. Health care is already one of the most heaviliy regulated industries.

The regulation in the states not only happens behind closed doors; there is rarely anyone standing outside the closed door wondering what's going on.

The under-reported state regulations are the primary cause for the current inefficiencies in health care.

Increasing the role of the Federal government in regulation is unlikely to result in any substantive change. What will happen when we have both the Federal Government and State governments jealously competing for control of health care is that the number of backroom deals will increase, and the ability of health care providers to provide innovative new approaches to care will decrease.

It is fun watching people yell at the closed doors behind which our health care future is decided, for, once this bill is finalized, indivisual Americans will pretty much see the end of their ability to influence the health care in their communities.